Hummingbird
by Koichama
Summary: Chronicle of Sakura and Syaoran's life after they reincarnated and reunited in Hong Kong. Chapter: Carnation: The whole family reunite under the Li family roof. Sakura reflects how similar yet different her family is. Warnings: Spoilers. Pairing: S/S
1. Forget Me Not

**Author Note: **Part of the blame rests with Zelinxia. Without our discussion yesterday about kidfic, I would have never have thought of writing a fic like this. Also, for those who have noticed, I changed my penname from Badluck Koi to Tiffany Koi. Tiffany is my given name that I am giving to you. "Koi" is not. I kept that part for some recognition value. It's a new year, so I get a new name.

**Warnings: **Mood-whiplash, plastic forks, potential in-law abuse.

* * *

><p>*Seventeen Years and Eight Months*<p>

Sakura smiled at Syaoran. She just could not hold back the contented feelings. After multiple lives of confusion and lies, from dedicating himself to the sole task of recovering her memories, to losing himself in the desolate ruins of Tokyo, learning that every cell in his body was a copy, that he was a marionette for Fei Wong Reed's goal, her destruction, his destruction, the world's imminent destruction, everything, it was pleasant to experience mundane agitation. She remembered that as she looked at her adorably furious fiancée grip the wheel.

"Touya only says those things to get to me," she assured. Since he married Yukito, he had less time to torment them. However, he still managed to schedule in some jerk time on his overbearing brother planner during visits.

"Did he have to say 'that'?" he countered, revving up the engine and backing up the car. Touya and Yukito waved through the window. The former smirked at the tire marks on the driveway, a smirk that promised ten phone calls about payments for property damage.

"As much as my brother annoys me, you cannot ram the car through his dining room," she teased, "Where would little Yuui-kun eat?" The corner of Syaoran's mouth twitched and the toddler in the back of the car cooed when he heard his name. To her, the sound was like a beautiful chorus. She twisted around her seat belt to look at the compact Yuui bundled in the safety seat. Her eyes glossed over with nostalgia, as though she had reunited with an old friend. He looked back, a look of mild recognition shone in his beautiful blue eyes briefly before he pointed his fingers and squealed, "Ba b aba!"

Once the surprise of seeing someone with the same soul as Fai wearing diapers and smearing banana mush on his face wore off, Sakura felt an immense swell of protectiveness. She was especially quick to keep him away from forks. "He could poke an eye out," she had told her brother with a nervous laugh, as she held a rubber fork away from Yuui. Watching Yukito and Touya with Yuui was another experience. If she could have chosen any fate for Fai, being adopted by her brother would not have been one of them. However, she smiled when Touya let the baby grab at his nose, only to scare him into a fit of giggles when he pretended to bite his fingers. If she had any doubts that Yukito would be a caring parent, which she did not, she had them no more. His six sense alerted him of trouble. Even before Yuui cried, he was ready with a warm bottle of milk.

"Are you sure about this?" His eyes focused, looking past the road.

"About Yuui-kun?" she asked, feeling the gloom weigh heavily in the car. Like a reoccurring nightmare, they remembered their previous life, the destruction of their family. When Syaoran looked at his soon-to-be-nephew, she wondered if he saw him with both eyes. All she could do for him was to remind him of the present, even when she saw Syaoran's bloody back leaving her over and over again.

"Syaoran," she said softly, "He is not Fai-san, and you are not Syaoran-kun. We are a family, and I love you. Having Yuui-kun for a week will be good for us. We can practice for when you become the daddy of the family." Her cheeks felt warmer as she talked.

"And you are not hime anymore," he said. They shared a smile. Just as she was his anchor to this life, he was hers.

"Oo-oo-oo," Yuui squealed in the back seat, clapping his hands energetically. Syaoran shook his head, and Sakura clapped with her nephew. He fixed his eyes on Sakura, and they had an instant connection, an understanding that transcended age. Some things she could share with Yuui that she could not share with Syaoran. For now, it was peek-a-boo. As Syaoran drove, she hid behind the car seat and peeked around. Every time, her nephew would wait with baited breath and would gasp when Sakura appeared. He cheered with "Oo-oo-oo" or "Ba-babba."

"I can't wait until he starts talking," Sakura said, "but then I will have less time to talk." Syaoran snorted when he heard the prophetic jest.

"Oo-ba-NYA!" Yuui cheered. Sakura was grateful that they had just arrived at home because Syaoran doubled over, his body shaking with quick gasps. She thought he was laughing, but his position looked painful, almost as though he was punched in the gut. She felt the same odd mixture of joy and pain. She looked back at Yuui-kun's beautiful eyes, feeling a sharp relief. He would never understand what her and Syaoran felt, not if she could help it. Leaning over and kissing Syaoran, she said to him:

"I know."

**Useful Notes: **I am using Japanese honorifics. It is very hard to find a substitute in English that means the same thing. For instance, when Sakura says Syaoran is not "Syaoran-kun" anymore, she literally means it, but she also is referring to his relationship with her.  
>Oba (Obasan) = Aunt. Luckily, these are easy sounds for babies to imitate.<br>Nya (Nyan) = Meow  
>Sakura = Oba-Nya<p> 


	2. Camellia

**Author Note: **The timestap in the beginning of each chapter is the age of Syaoran and Sakura. It indicates how much time has passed since the last chapter. Thanks to Zelinxia for looking this chapter over.

*18 Years and one month*

Syaoran dug under the cold earth, feeling it under his nails as he pulled a dandelion by the roots. As he pulled out the dandelion, he recalled that he always had his hands in the dirt in his previous life as an archeologist. Clapping the dirt off his hands, he took a deep breath. He could smell the mint plant the most. The aroma sailed over all others, leaving the strongest impression.

A small quiver from the camellia flower caught his eye. Eagerly, he bent down to observe the small alien creature. With pale lime green color, smooth armor and blade-like hands, this praying mantis cleaned its weapon-like limbs as a cat would, an act that looked very domestic. He welcomed this small predator into his garden, his protector of the tomatoes. After seeing the marvels of many worlds, he found excitement in the little wonders. The garden was his own excavation; the soil was his digging site, and the blades of leaves, a treacherous jungle. At least it was treacherous for insects.

"BUG!" proclaimed a young intruder.

"No, that's an in…," he said, but lost his voice halfway between looking at the baby's red eyes, and halfway between recognizing who that baby was, "Kurogane-san?" When he said that name, little Kurogane looked at him funny, and he saw the ninja's punitive stare whenever Syaoran made an obtuse observation.

Losing interest, the young warrior, who was about the size of Kurogane's forearm, wandered around the garden, pointing, and calling, "Na-Na-Na!" His former sword master swung his legs around like a swaggering drunkard, coordination that even a drunk Kurogane would never display. However, the concentrated look as he wobbled and glared at his own stumbling feet was very familiar to the ninja he knew.

"Youou?" a woman called. An elegant lady that Syaoran had only seen in someone else's dream peered over the hedge, a parasol dangling from her wrist. With her long black hair and regal posture, he recognized her immediately as the woman who shared the same soul as a priestess of another land. "You little scoundrel," she bemoaned, stepping carefully over the plants. She reminded him of a crane with her delicate movements.

Youou twisted around quickly and toppled on his bottom. Looking confused but excited, he reached up like a baby bird. "Haha!" he called.

"I am sorry for this," she spoke to Syaoran softly, and he jumped to attention, not expecting her to address him. However, he was not a silent observer to their story; he was a character. "It's alright," he said automatically.

"We were just taking a walk, and admiring your family's gorgeous grounds, until my little ninja disappeared," explained the woman, holding her son beneath her chin. Her smile was small and inviting. Syaoran felt as though he was the guest at his own home. "I did not even introduce myself," she apologized with the same warm smile, "My name is Kurogane Toriko. My husband, son, and I moved down the lane just a week ago."

"Li Syaoran," he greeted, "And thank you for the compliment." He kept his eyes on Toriko, but occasionally looked at Youou, who latched onto his mother like a monkey. He had a difficult time accepting the coincidence of both Fai and Kurogane in their lives. "_There are no coincidences in this world, only Hitsuzen_."

"How old is he?" asked Syaoran.

"He is turning one soon," she said while bouncing the baby in her arms. Youou's grip on his mother was strong, even as a baby. The image of another Youou, gripping his mother with such strength that he refused to let death take her away from him, resurfaced in his memories, and he had to swallow a sob.

Not allowing the silence to grip him, otherwise, he would actually cry, he said conversationally, "My fiancé's nephew had his first birthday just a few months ago." He spared Youou a smile, introductions already in his mind. At least this Kurogane was too small to smack him over the head. "You are welcome to come over. When Yuui-kun visits, he can have a playmate."

"I do not want to impose," she said. Her words were airy and polite, something he expected from a noble woman, which, he reminded himself, she had been. Although she was dressed in a plain lilac sundress and spoke familiarly, her presence was that of a priestess, regal, and philanthropic.

"You won't. Please, visit any time you like. Sakura would love to meet you when she returns from classes," he assured.

"Are you certain we will not impose?" she questioned, adjusting her now sleepy son. Syaoran never saw Kurogane sleeping peacefully. He would always awaken at the slightest noise. Taking the opportunity, Syaoran placed a hand on his downy head. He was not inviting strangers into his home; he was welcoming family back into his life.

"Please," insisted Syaoran.


	3. Carnation

**Author Note:** Two things. First, I had a fic-existence failure when I realized that the text of Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle suggests that Touya and Yukito never moved to Hong Kong (Where Sakura and Syaoran live), but then I realized it is a small detail, and they could have lived there at one time. Worst comes to worst, I will slap a slight AU on this fic and call it an "oops." The small detail probably only bugs me. Second, I have been distracted by another shiny OTP, Ginryuu/Suzaku, which has three fans in the whole fandom, Zelinxia, Kittenkin, and me.  
><strong>Credit: <strong>Zelinxia really helped during my fic-existence failure phase. I thank her for me finishing this chapter. Thanks so much for the encouragement.

Carnation

*Eighteen Years and Two Months*

As Sakura recalled, the last time they were all together was in Kurogane's country. She did not die that day, not being fully alive. Syaoran's sword had pierced her rib cage, but she did not die. His blade trembled, then, as she crumbled into non-existence. Nothing happened after that, and nothing was scarier than nothing. She buried her face in her hands, feeling disgusted that such memories were tarnishing what should be a treasured family moment. She blinked the thoughts away, not wanting to look at her family with this memory fresh in her mind, with cherry blossoms falling everywhere.

"OBA!" called Yuui, throwing his milk tippy to the floor when she didn't look at him. Reflexively, Sakura caught it, her hand faster than her mind. She sighed with the near miss, and placed the cup out of his reach. Her brother warned her he was in his throwing stage. Nothing delighted Yuui more than to make his family run in circles for him. This was the third time he threw his cup over his high chair. "Oba" was growing tired of the game. She cleaned Yuui up, and hefted him into her arms. Mealtime was over.

"Are you ready to meet someone, Yuui-kun?" she asked, kissing his nose. She remembered Fai teasing her in a similar fashion. In another life, he grabbed her hand gently and nudged her in Syaoran's general direction. Her stomach fluttered with the memory: Fai opening the Cat's Eye Café, Mokona jumping up and down with enthusiasm, Kurogane in the corner, stealing glances and failing to look disinterested, and Syaoran before her, smiling somberly. That memory of Syaoran was exactly one lifetime ago.

In this life, Syaoran smiled more often. He had a heavy and beautiful smile because he smiled for their future. This life was not free from hardship, though; fate did not have such cruel designs as it did before. He inherited his family's lands at a young age. His mother and father died quite accidentally, and by no fault of Syaoran's, thankfully. He didn't need another weight on his soul. He visited their graves every week with flowers, and returned with a tranquil smile and glossy eyes, which she kissed.

His parents never met Sakura, but they knew of the young girl that haunted Syaoran's dreams since he was young, before memories of his previous life fully formed. They told him that he was dreaming of a lover in his past life, but Syaoran did not believe them until he saw Sakura. He said that it was like waking from a dream where he had been playing as someone else and just realizing who he was. Sakura felt the same when she saw Syaoran. Led by the shadow of a memory, she searched. She lost something she couldn't remember, and she never found it in Tokyo. She did not realize that when she looked for schools in Hong Kong, she did so because there was where her lost memories were. There was Syaoran.

When she saw Syaoran in their living room, her stomach fluttered again, as though they were meeting once more. Youou Kurogane was on his lap, glaring at the door intensely. She never saw such intensity on someone so young. His pudgy cheeks puffed around his pacifier every second he stared at the door and nothing happened. "Misses Kurogane just left," said Syaoran in concern, bouncing the baby who was having none of that comfort.

"Is now a bad time?" she wondered. Her bundle squirmed in her arms.

"Nah, it's perfect. If there is anyone that can get Youou-kun's mind off of his task, it's Yuui-kun," he said. He smiled deviously but not maliciously.

Sakura caught his impish mood, and grinned herself. She always wondered how Kurogane and Fai's first meeting was, being unconscious at the time. She imagined that they struck a chord with each other right away. Sakura had sensed pained defenses and suspicion from both of them, and she had seen them stripped bare and dangerously exposed as vulnerable humans. The last she saw them, the only thing left was honesty and devotion. Nothing ever repeated itself, and she knew that. Despite their shared souls, Yuui and Youou were not them. Their young souls only knew honesty. The devotion would form later. So yes, she thought deviously, she would tease them, but only knowing that their bond could withstand much more.

With nothing but pleasant thoughts now, she set Yuui down on the floor while Syaoran nudged Youou off his lap. Immediately, Youou wobbled towards the door, passing Yuui in his enthusiasm. Fascinated by the little ninja, Yuui watched him as though he was an alien. No longer smiling, he scrutinized the strange baby in Oba's home. A whimper escaped his little body, as he backed into Sakura's legs; Youou paused when he heard the noise. He turned around and looked at Yuui with wide eyes, just noticing him.

"This isn't going as planned," said Sakura, kneeling to Yuui's level. A thought occurred to her. "Yuui-kun, that is Youou-wan-wan!" She held her hands like doggie-ears and repeated, "Wan-wan!" His blue eyes lit up.

"Wan-wan! Oba-Nya!" he cheered, using his personal name for her. He looked over at Syaoran, who repeated the same thing with a cheery smile. No longer interested in the door, little Youou stared in perplexity at the three barking people. He frowned, and with determination, walked over to Yuui. A small chord was struck as the two souls stared at each other with infantile eyes.

Yuui smiled and cheered, "Wan-wan!" Youou frowned as his cheeks puffed around his pacifier again. "Wan-wan!" repeated Yuui, and the little ninja made a small "mmph" sound.

At last, Youou popped the pacifier from his mouth and stuck it in Yuui's open mouth. For the first time since his mom left, Youou smiled and joined with them. "Wan-Wan!" Sakura felt every bad memory she had that day dissipate when she heard Youou's joyful voice.

**Useful Notes  
>Onomatopoeia:<br>**Wan-wan = Bow-wow  
>Other than onomatopoeia and honorifics, I will not use much Japanese. You will see less and less of these notes.<p> 


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